WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Wolverine #11 by Benjamin Percy, Scot Eaton, JP Mayer, Matthew Wilson & VC’s Cory Petit, on sale now
Since the formation of Krakoa, Beast has embraced a new role within the structure of the mutant nation. As the nominal head of X-Force, Beast is in charge of the protection of Krakoa and has been given a level of authorization and power on the island that few rival. While his recent decisions have made him unpopular, it might be time for Beast to finally prove why it’s such a crucial position that he fills.
In Wolverine #11, Beast is setting himself up to go head-to-head with Dracula as the secret conflict between Krakoa and the Vampire Nation escalates — with the outcome having a potentially major impact on the Marvel Universe as a whole, as it could be the difference between a strengthened Krakoa or an unleashed Vampire Nation.
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Beast has been working at the head of the current incarnation of X-Force, dictating many of the decisions made in the name of defending Krakoa from a dangerous and often unpredictable world. This has pushed the former Avenger to embrace increasingly dark strategies, with one of his most shocking concerning Omega Red. The Russian mutant has been operating as an agent of Dracula, who has been seeking Wolverine’s blood so he can use it to further the spread and power of his Vampire Nation. Upon discovering all of this, Beast had Omega Red killed before using his power to force the Five to modify their typical resurrection protocol, effectively erasing any knowledge of X-Force’s involvement and giving Beast the ability to track Omega Red through his Carbonadium Synthesizer.
This allows X-Force to watch undetected as Omega Red visits Dracula in Chernobyl, where the Vampire Nation is located and trying to grow. Now fully aware of the threat that Dracula and his Vampire Nation pose, Beast is setting himself up to battle Dracula through their proxy agents — specifically Wolverine and Omega Red. Both Dracula and Beast are shown strategizing on how to trick their enemy, with Dracula telling Omega Red to offer the mutants access to Russia as a feint while Beast suggests using Wolverine as bait for the vampiric lord. By the end of the issue, Dracula’s plan has been put into motion with Omega Red approaching Beast and Sage to seemingly tell them about whatever scheme Dracula has concocted while Wolverine tries to recruit back-up in Paris.
It’s interesting to watch Beast — formerly dedicated to being a teacher but who has truly taken to spycraft and the darker actions that aspect of the world necessitates — go up against Dracula, one of Marvel’s most fearsome and ruthless leaders. If Beast is able to win their extended battle, he could give Krakoa a major edge over their enemies in Russia (like Mikhail Rasputin and his connection to XENO) while also hindering the growth of the Vampire Nation — a net positive for the whole of humanity. But if Beast fails, he could end up hand-delivering Wolverine to Dracula and his forces — which allow the vampires to harvest his blood and possibly perfect a way to exist in sunlight, setting up the Vampire Nation (who’ve already proven to be an Avengers-level threat) to become a global power overnight.
Beast is playing a very dangerous game, with more at stake than just the life of Logan and the safety of Krakoa. If he succeeds, then Beast may have proven himself as the best possible leader for X-Force, not necessarily making up for his past mistakes but proving that his role at the head of X-Force is vital. But to do that, he’ll have to prove craftier than one of the Marvel Universe’s most consistently clever and cruel threats.